As Well She Might.

[rionaleonhart]

To go under the heading of 'unfortunate things to happen in the midst of writing': suddenly becoming confused into envisioning the 'Charlie' in your Charlie Brooker/David Mitchell fic as Charlie Swan of Twilight.

Charlie Swan/David Mitchell: probably not true love. I love Charlie, particularly in the films, and I love Mitchell, but I do not think they would be terribly compatible. Still, Twilight might have been a better book had it been about the brief and ill-advised relationship of Charlie Swan and David Mitchell, whilst some stuff to do with vampires or something quietly goes on in the background. Eventually, Bella discovers that her father's girlfriend is a boyfriend and Charlie discovers that his daughter's boyfriend is a vampire, and the former revelation is inexplicably treated as the more surprising.

...and now I want to crack up, because my mind has just reminded me that Bella Swan is a fairly misanthropic soul, and so naturally my instinct is to consider replacing her with my favourite misanthrope of the moment. I do not think Charlie Brooker would thank me for the comparison, but having him as the protagonist of Twilight would be amazing. I'm not sure what would happen in this revised version of Twilight, as the love of Bella and Edward was sort of the entire plot of the original and I have no doubt that Charlie Brooker would despise Edward Cullen, but I would purchase several copies anyway.


Here are a couple of fascinating clips from Screenwipe: on the many obstacles to be overcome in making television programmes, and on the manipulative editing of 'reality' TV.

I'd quite like to see whether I can get away with showing the latter clip in my 'Discourse in Public Life' seminar (we're discussing media discourse at the moment), but the last few seconds might make that slightly embarrassing, although I suppose I could stop it before that. (I do love that Brooker himself is appalled by what he's just said. I love it when they keep in things that have gone a bit wrong. His 'I can't say that!' made me jump immediately from 'what did he just say?' to 'asdfadhfgjfhgh he is adorable'.)


I do hope my entries of late haven't been too alienating for the non-British amongst you. As an apology, have this clip, which speaks the universal language of 'adorable baby pandas going down a slide'.

Comments

[clanwilliam.livejournal.com]

Charlie Brooker replacing Bella Swan would be incredible. He'd sound off at Edward for being a creepy stalker and he'd mock all the Cullens ruthlessly.

I now want to see that movie. Or failing that, tie down Charlie Brooker and make him watch Twilight. It would almost be as good.

[dancesontrains.livejournal.com]

I adore your brain! :DDDD

On a mildly related note, have you ever seen The Day Today, or The Colbert Report? They may be of interest to you.

[dracothelizard.livejournal.com]

"I do not think Charlie Brooker would thank me for the comparison, but having him as the protagonist of Twilight would be amazing."

I think you can see where this is going (http://i45.tinypic.com/28lgo4z.jpg).

Also, that reality TV editing one was great!

As for Charlie Swan, I always suspected - well, after watching the film once - that he had something going with the Native American chap in the wheelchair.

[picaropicara.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting all the Screenwipe stuff, I didn't even know it existed and it turns out I can actually pretend that I'm revising my film studies module by spending hours delighting in the sarcasm.

[the-wanlorn.livejournal.com]

Twilight the movie (idk about the book) would have been a thousand times better if it had been about the Cullens' and how hilarious they are.

[amy-wolf.livejournal.com]

If Twilight centered around Charlie Brooker in Bella's place, I'd watch all of the movies. And they really wouldn't be that much more plotless. Replace "Bella spends ages mooning about her love for Edward, and dangerous vampires show up to do something potentially interesting in the last few chapters, but we don't get to see it" with "Charlie Brooker spends ages ranting angrily about that annoying Edward person who won't leave him alone and thinks 'You smell good enough to eat' is a clever and interesting chat-up line if you just act tormented about whether you're going to eat them or not, and then dangerous vampires show up to do something potentially interesting in the last few chapters, but we don't get to see it", and you're through book three, at least.

Book four would be a poser.

[make-a-move.livejournal.com]

Charlie Brooker (I still can not simply call him Charlie) has become rather good friends with Aisleyne, the woman in the 'Reality TV Editing' piece. They've gone to Glastonbury together (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jun/25/glastonbury2007.glastonbury4), and taken a road trip across America (http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/oct/25/charlie-brooker-american-road-trip). It's rather endearing.